Edmund pohn



6N0 Model.)

B POHN SHOE FASTENING.

Patented Aug. 10, 1897.

lave/2201 W Witnesses I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND PUHN, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,083, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed February 23, 1897. Serial No. 624,710. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDMUND Form, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Fastenings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention consists of an improvement in shoe-fastenings, according to which a collapsible-lever system is employed to close the shoe.

I am aware that similar lever systems have been employed for similar purposes before my invention, but the present invention does not consist, broadly, in applying this lever system to a shoe-closure. It consists more particularly in applying the said system in such manner that the motion of the members of the system is reduced to a minimum on the tongue of the shoe or boot.

In order to render the present specification more easily intelligible, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a part plan of a shoe provided with the improved closure, and Fig. 2 detail plan of the closure or fastening when closed.

The closure consists of a series of parallel levers a, crossed, as is usual with collapsiblelever systems, and pivoted together at the middle at b. Each member of the system is provided with a slot 0 at each end of the same, and the ends of each pair of levers which connect with the corresponding ends of the next pair are arranged to slide on a pin cl, fast on the edge of the shoe-closure, as shown.

The pair of levers e at the end of the closure nearest the toe of the shoe are pivoted to the shoe at f. The uppermost pair of levers are provided with notches g at their under sides, in which a fiat ring g engages, as shown at Fig. 2, when the closure is drawn together and it is desired to retain the same in position. Any other means may be provided for holding the upper ends of the upper lever pair together,and the invention does not cover particularly the means as shown for this purpose.

is a' The present invention obviates the necessity of guide-rails for the sliding-lever systems previously employed for a similar purpose and prevents the levers from much movement on the tongue of the shoe When the latter is fastened up or unfastened, since the ends of the levers slide within pockets or the like on the outer surface of the shoe, the movement of the same on the tongue being reduced to a minimum.

The operation of the device is very simple.

In closing the shoe-fastening it is only necessary to press the ends of the upper pair of levers together and fix the same in any convenient manner. When these lever ends are pressed together, the whole system will be closedand theshoe securely and evenly fas tened.

The closure may be applied to other articles of clothingsuch,for instance, as corsets, gloves, and the like-without departing from the nature of the present invention, which is not confined to boots and shoes. If necessary, plates may be provided along each edge of the closure to support the pins d.

I claim as my invention- 1. A closure for articles of clothing consisting of a series of pins arranged along each side of the edges to be fastened together, a series of pairs of levers pivoted together at their centers, slots in each end of each lever of each pair to engage the said pinsand means for fastening together the uppermost ends of the uppermost pair of levers substantially as described.

2. The combination of a series of lever pairs pivoted together as specified, a series of pins on either side of the closure, a slot in each end of said lever to engage said pin, a pair of lower levers having their adjoining ends pivoted to the adjoining edges of the closure, a notch in the under side of the two uppermost lever-arms and a ring to engage said notches in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND POHN.

\Vitnesses:

W. HAUPT, HENRY HASPER. 

